


Teach Me

by mobile_mom



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV), The Drop (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Fluff, Insecurity, Light Angst, Limping, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Physical Disability, Physical Pain, imbalance of intellect, imbalance of power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mobile_mom/pseuds/mobile_mom
Summary: A professor/janitor AU, giving you all the imbalances in power and intellect that make our heart wrenches.After the first chapter I had to realise it's not only Alfie but also Bob Saginowski (Tom's character from "The Drop") and Stuart Shorter who is interacting here with Tommy...Tommy hasn’t always been an asshole. Just like Alfie was not always a caretaker. But all the possibilities that once lay before Alfie like a never-ending golden stream had been beaten out of him in the truest sense of the world.Thomas Shelby, professor of English literature at the renowned Sheckleton institute paced up and down the stage of the grand auditorium, fuming over the incompetence he was faced with. Although, at the very moment he was also faced with some extremely well sculptured arse, belonging to the poor soul of the institute’s janitor, who crawled on all fours and tried desperately to plug the correct cables into the appropriate sockets.
Relationships: Tommy Shelby/Alfie Solomons, Tommy Shelby/Bob Saginowski, Tommy Shelby/Stuart Shorter
Comments: 17
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Update Dec 6 2020: So I added more tags. Please read them carefully since they - and especially issues raised in this story - may be triggering.  
> I also decided to add Stuart Shorter, who was portraied by Tom Hardy in "Stuart: A Life Backwards" as a refference, since a lot of his mannerisms that played before my inner eye are actually from that man. I am fully aware that Stuart's condition was NOT caused by what happened to the Alfie in my story and I don't want to be disrespectful or playing down what happened to him. But I think mentioning him will help readers who saw the movie to get a better image of my Alfie and the way he behaves and sounds.  
> Oh, and the "noises" I mention are little cute, insecure noises as you may know from "Stuart a life backwards" (I just realised that Handsome Bob is also doing them and they sure are a kink...).  
> I added a different ending to chapter 2 since I want to go on with Tommy and Alfie in this universe.

“Is it actually too much to ask you to set up everything properly when I book all of it two days in advance?” 

Thomas Shelby, professor of English literature at the renowned Sheckleton institute paced up and down the stage of the grand auditorium, fuming over the incompetence he was faced with. Although, at the very moment he was also faced with some extremely well sculptured arse, belonging to the poor soul of the institute’s janitor, who crawled on all fours and tried desperately to plug the correct cables into the appropriate sockets. 

Thomas frowned, irritated by how much he was distracted at the wiggling of this man’s back and these _unnerving_ little noises he dared to make. 

As if this wasn’t infuriating enough, Jimmy, James, Bob or whatever his name was, who cares (he should just have been called Adonis), now entered the stage and leaned down to have a look under the rostrum too. Why he was shooting him a look full of contempt on his way down, was something Thomas didn’t understand. Geez kids. Once more he was relieved that due to his, well, preferences, the chances that he would ever have to bother with children of his own, were extremely low. 

While it took too long, way too long for these peachy arse cheeks to get that bloody projector and the wifi connection running, Thomas thought he wouldn’t complain if it lasted forever, but some of the girls had already started to giggle annoyingly and he turned around to use the special power his (and only his) eyebrows had: the girls went from giggly to ogling within seconds. Good. Back to business then. But no, turning around, he was faced with the emerald green sparkling eyes of Adonis, who dared to spit whisper a: 

“You could just have called IT, there was no need to take it out on Alfie!” 

at him. Thomas gaped for air but quickly gained his composure and hissed towards said man: 

“Well, off you go now. Or would you like to discuss with postmodernism in the English novel with us?” 

Thomas felt how heat was creeping up his cheeks, when his mind added a soft “Alfie” to his spiteful sentence. With his eyes wide open, he did his best to apply the superpower of his eyebrows to the caretaker, who only gave him the most stunning, slightly mischievous smile in return. 

“No, sir.” 

And seriously: since when was a crooked tooth that appealing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the lovely [MintJam](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/MintJam/pseuds/MintJam) for having a look at this afternoon thingy I had to get out to convince myself to not overthink everythink and end up in thousands and thousands of words; something like that is up and coming though and then it will be "proper" Alfie, I promise.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated (Dec 6. 2020) with an extended chapter ending since I decided to write more for this AU.

Thomas Shelby hasn’t always been an asshole. Just like Alfie was not always a caretaker. But all the possibilities that once lay before Alfie like a never-ending golden stream had been beaten out of him in the truest sense of the word.

“By his own father?” 

Thomas wasn’t able to believe what Mrs. Barth, the oldest of the staff members had just explained to him. 

“Yes, Tommy.” Only she, with her possibly 114 years, could get away with calling him that. 

“Alfie had such a bright future before him. He was one of our smartest students. Also very athletic, earning the institute nearly half of all the wrestling medals that can be seen in the display cases. And also back then he was always so polite and kind. Hmm,” and her expression and tone hardened “Must have gotten it from his mother who unfortunately left him with this, this ulcer of a father.” 

“What happened? His grades must have been good, he brought medals home…did he get a girl into difficulties?” 

“Oh, Tommy, it’s not always girls who can get a good looking, promising young man into trouble.” 

Her allusions made Thomas slightly nervous and he wondered if he had the courage to ask further. Mrs. Barth suddenly really looked as if she truly was 114 years old, there was way too much sadness on her wrinkled face. 

“Over the years, Tommy, I have often asked myself whether it would not have ended so badly if it had just been some guy from the town or a kid from the same class. But no, his father had to catch him with the captain of the opposing wrestling team. He nearly beat Alfie to death. I heard later that he smashed his left knee with a baseball bat. So, apart from the head injuries, he also took away any chance of a sporting career his son ever had. With one hit.” 

It wasn’t often that Thomas Shelby _felt_ like the asshole he usually was. But when he thought about the derogatory remark he made yesterday, about why the institute, with all its school fees, should pay for a caretaker who needed twice as long to accomplish everything, because of his stupid limp, it went black in front of his eyes. 

“Are you ok, Tommy? I know it’s a horrible story. But I honestly thought someone might have told you before and that was the reason the two of you could be seen together from time to time recently.” 

What? 

“I have to go Mrs. Barth. Thanks for talking.” And he literally ran out of the staff room, heading to his car. Halfway through the car park he stopped dead in his tracks. What the fuck was Alfie doing at his car window? 

During the few meters it took him to get there Thomas tried to recall and disprove Mrs. Barth’s comment about him and Alfie. But he had to admit that he had indeed run into the janitor more than once since the unfortunate encounter at his lecture. And more than once these little interactions had left him with a strange and warm feeling in his belly – even a smile on his lips - and more than once even with a smile on his lips, because always, fucking always, Alfie had done something nice for him. 

Whether he was holding Thomas’ coffee so that he could balance his books to unlock the door, or shouting to him to be careful because he had just wiped the floor…, there was even one time when he had actually arranged for the cook to keep a piece of Roast beef for him ("I hear the girls raving about your lessons, Mr. Shelby, and my mum always said, you have to eat well to be smart in your head"). 

And now, what in heaven’s name was he doing at his car? 

“Alfie!” 

“Mr. Shelby.” 

And Thomas wasn’t too sure if it wasn't a groan that escaped him when Alfie beamed at him again with that incredible smile and the cursed crooked tooth that would be his downfall. 

“What on earth are you doing at my car, Alfie?” 

“I scraped the ice off the windows, Mr. Shelby.” 

And that was it. The very moment, that Thomas Shelby’s ability to behave like the biggest arsehole ever to walk the floors of the renowned Shackleton institute, vanished, melted away, or was fucking scraped off, however you want to put it. 

He had to swallow hard and blink very fast. 

“Alfie…” 

“Yes, Mr. Shelby?” 

“Oh for fuck’s sake stop calling me that! Oh shit sorry, sorry, Alfie. Im sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you.” 

Shit. Alfie was making those strange, squealing noises again and had turned slightly away from him, the ice scraper trembled in his hands. 

Thomas approached him carefully, like an injured animal. 

“Hey, Alfie? Why don’t you call me Thomas, eh?” 

And oh wait, was that a giggle? 

“Tommy,” crooked tooth and all. 

Thomas was so ruined. 

“Well, whatever.” He sighed. They were both leaning at his car now, Alfie still with a very pleased smile on his pillowy lips. 

“Alfie, do you remember when you once asked me if I had a good day and I said, no I had a horrible day,…” 

Geez, was that even a mixture of this unnerving heart wrenching noise and a giggle?! 

“You often said that. Tommy.” 

“Oh. Uhm, well, do you also recall what you told me then?” 

Thomas was already sweating despite the frosty temperature and he really needed some help here. 

“Yes, Tommy. I said: there is another chance tomorrow. To do better. And to have a better day. To feel better.” And obviously Alfie sensed where that was going since his explanation was merely a whisper now. 

They both turned towards one another. Thomas gently stroked Alfie's cheek with his hand, carefully gripped the back of his neck and leaned his head gently against the other man's forehead. 

“I want to do better. Be better for you, Alfie. Please teach me.”

*~* 

Well, at least that’s what played before Tommy’s inner eye and he didn’t even know why. What he did know though, was, that he must have been staring rather dumbfounded at the school’s janitor for way too long in way too cold temperature after he was told about his car windows, kinda yelled and offered that guy to call him Tommy. Gosh, what was up with him?

Thomas was so ruined.

Regaining his composure, Thomas forcefully clapped his hands together to demonstrate he was back in action again. Alfie flinched at the sound and looked at him with wide eyes. 

“Well, thanks mate for clearing the windows off the ice.” he said coldly and frowned at himself that it came out a bit too slightly. Lost in his astonishment, jaw clinched, still frowning, he stepped towards the driver’s door, making Alfie jump to the side. 

What an irritating, unnerving move, Thomas thought only to get even more irritated when he realised that Alfie was beaming at him. 

“Pleasure, Mr. Sh.., Tommy; always a pleasure.”

Shooting an ice-cold look at the hopeful sparkling blue eyes, Thomas just grunted while getting in the car. After closing the door with too much strength and speeding away in a pathetic overdone way, Thomas couldn’t help to let out a perplexed “huh” when he shot a quick glance in the rear view mirror and saw Alfie happily waving him good-bye.


End file.
